The Burnett Family of SW Louisiana Genealogy and Historical Information

Saturday, February 7, 2015

The Succession of James Jefferson Burnett

James Jefferson “Jeff” Burnett died intestate on 25-Feb-1936.
On 03-Mar-1936 a succession was filed at the Beauregard Parish,
Louisiana Courthouse.
The following excerpt from the succession describes some of the
cash and property owned by Jeff Burnett at the time of his death.
“Cash on deposit in the City Savings Bank of DeRidder,
Louisiana. $2217.25Cash on deposit in the Lake Charles Bank and Trust Company in Lake
Charles, Louisiana. $1025.00About 400 head of range sheep more or less, marked – crop
and underhalf in one ear and hole and underbit in other ear, branded
with a diamond mark on the jaw, said sheep ranging around Kernan,
Beauregard Parish, Louisiana.About 10 head of hogs.1 black horse1 gray horse1 cow and 1 calf.1 Ford V8 1934 model Tudor.1 lot of household goods, furniture, cooking utensils, etc.

Since there were 9 children and one step child the division of
property was complex. The nine heirs of Jeff and Leona each
received 19/180 of property and step son John “Ed” Williams
received 1/20 of the property. One of Jeff and Leona’s heirs,
daughter Lilly, preceded her parents in death; consequently her three
children each received 19/540 of the property.
In 2015 dollars, the buying power of the 1936 cash holdings is
$55,000.00. With that said, Jeff Burnett did not die a poor
man. I have a scanned copy of the succession and will email to anyone
that is interested.In the next blog I will discuss the division and sale of the 162
acres of real estate.